[AudioJunkie]

Hi

I have decided to get some headphones and after searching the forums I thought the MS1's might be a good choice. I am planning to use them with a
un-amped iPod.

I mainly listen to hip-hop, rock, jazz and trip-hop.

Would this sound OK? I have heard the SR-60's are good headphone for using un-amped, would this be a better choice?

Thanks

 

[Routa]

Amping improves MS-1 but they were ok also unamped on my iHP-120.

 

[AudioJunkie]

How much does it improve?

 

[Yaboosh]

If you are new to headphones, then purchase the MS1 and see if you are happy with them. The price of an amp is going to be about the same price as the MS1s themselves, and the increase MIGHT be something like 15-20% (if you try to estimate it). This may or may not be worth it to you, depending on how much you enjoy the sound of the phones unamped.

 

[rickcr42]

The MS-1 is extremely easy to drive straight out of any portable source i have tied it with and to be honest i rarely amp it on the go no matter the source.

Where amping pays off mainly is ultimate bass impact,the actual power of the bass in relation to the mids.Not more just more powerful and with more apparent speed.
Not something i notice on the go but if stionary yes so if I am at a place i will be set up for some time,then the amp comes out and i go through the trouble to hook everything up.
Also I amp at the the computer even though straight out it plays plenty loud.More volume is not a good thing once you reach a certain level and WILL cause hearing damage so the amp is not for ultimate loudness but for allowing each note to bloom by having enough power to express the emotional intent.

an amp also allows the use of a crossfeed which you really do not want between the driving source and the headphones.

Just my opinion.

BTW-the above is mostly about portable sources.Real "dedicated" home sources of quality DEMAND an amp for best sound.To amp or not to amp is all about what comes before the amp and if it is just an add on or an actual improvement

 

[AudioJunkie]

OK, thanks a lot. I will probably get the MS1.

 

[boberang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickcr42 .... an amp also allows the use of a crossfeed which you really do not want between the driving source and the headphones. Just my opinion. BTW-the above is mostly about portable sources.Real "dedicated" home sources of quality DEMAND an amp for best sound.To amp or not to amp is all about what comes before the amp and if it is just an add on or an actual improvement

First, on topic: I love my MS-1s and use with an amp, I would say it is barely a 5-10% increase in quality with the amp....had I known that I would have forgone the amp. Sigh.

Now off topic and to the quote....it is not suggested to use a crossfeed amp between an ipod and the MS-1s? I thought the purpose of an amp with a crossfeed (mine doesn't have one) was to offset tired ears or whatever since the crossfeed puts a little bit of each channel to each ear? Why don't you want this? Just curious as I have been tempted to get an amp with a crossfeed.

 

[Jazper]

Thought I'd chime in. I've had my MS-1's for about a month now, and just recently I was having a discussion with an electronics engineer friend of mine regarding the amplifier I built (dakiller). I had him compare the ms-1's amped and unamped and asked him what the difference was. His response was the frequency response, the amp gave much clearer colour to the sound and the dynamics of the music improved markedly.

So.. My thought on it is pretty simple, listening to the Ms-1s without an amp is like watching a good colour tv, whereas listening to them with an amp is like watching whatever it is, in real life.

 

[Shikatanai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boberang First, on topic: I love my MS-1s and use with an amp, I would say it is barely a 5-10% increase in quality with the amp....had I known that I would have forgone the amp. Sigh. Now off topic and to the quote....it is not suggested to use a crossfeed amp between an ipod and the MS-1s? I thought the purpose of an amp with a crossfeed (mine doesn't have one) was to offset tired ears or whatever since the crossfeed puts a little bit of each channel to each ear? Why don't you want this? Just curious as I have been tempted to get an amp with a crossfeed.

What kind of amp do you have?